


Determination

by Teaotter



Category: White Collar
Genre: Drabble, F/M, promptfest vi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-07
Updated: 2011-07-07
Packaged: 2017-10-21 03:29:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/220412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teaotter/pseuds/Teaotter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That damned flower.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Determination

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elrhiarhodan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elrhiarhodan/gifts).



> A fill for Elrhiarhodan's Promptfest VI, July 2011.

That damned flower.

Kate finds it in the pocket of Neal's coat when she's kissing him hello. She's been practicing her lifts on Mozzie and thought she'd surprise Neal with how good she's gotten. She thought she'd pull something from his pocket, show it to him in a few minutes with a flourish -- and watch his eyes light up with love and pride that she fooled him. Neal gets so much joy out of teaching her these tricks.

She wasn't expecting the flower, Alex's Hunter's origami message. The paper against Kate's fingertips makes her catch her breath, a tell she has to cover quickly before Neal can question it. She doesn't want him to go after the music box. She doesn't want Adler back in their lives. It's too soon. It will always be too soon.

But taking the flower now won't make him stop. Neal loves the chase nearly as much as he loves her.

So she lets the paper slip from her fingers, back to its resting place against the lining of his coat pocket. If she kisses Neal more heatedly than she usually would -- they'd seen each other less than an hour ago -- she can tell herself she's covering her near slip.

He loves her more than the chase, she tells herself fiercely. If she can find a way to use that, to keep him away from the music box... maybe she won’t have to betray him.


End file.
